Wildwood
by snogfairy
Summary: This was a forest of hungry wolves, but Lucy almost had forgotten one crucial thing: she was just as hungry, for life and love and light, and the day she would give up protecting what she loved had yet to be born into existence. [Nalu Flame/Forest Spirit AU]
1. Chapter 1

_This one is inspired by Mashima's latest Twitter Doodle! Tbh I'm totally in love with the story and how it turned out, and I hope you'll love it as much as me :3 People on tumblr were very excited about it and I hope you'll love it just as much! Enjoy! \\(°o°)/_

 _There is also absolutely amazing art for this fic on my tumblr, you should totally check all of them out!_

 _ **It's a short little fairytale-style story and will end up with 4 or 5 parts**! ^-^_

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Darkness had been lurking in the forest.

It was watching her from the shadows as she left the safety of her home, and Lucy felt the fur of her tail stand up against her will, felt as if something was crawling up her skin and waiting for her to make a mistake.

But she was the guardian of this forest, and those who inhabited it.

She had heard the outcry, felt the confusion and agitation of her home: something had crashed right into their middle. An intruder, who'd brought flames.

But no matter who this stranger was, she would be there to greet him; to offer help if it was needed, protection should he want it, and resistance if all kindness failed. Oh, she would be lying if she said she wasn't scared, but she was the keeper of peace, and the only one who could take care of this.

Everyone depended on her, like they always did, and she could not let them down more than she already had.

And so she marched on through the thick forest, feeling the soft, damp ground beneath her bare feet and silently thanking the branches and roots which parted for her. In the distance, she could see light flickering through the branches where there should have been nothing but darkness.

It got hotter the closer she came, singed treetrunks and slivered wood everything she encountered until she stepped into what was now a little clearing. It had been forest like everything in these parts, but now the ground was churned and the trees uprooted.

Lucy could feel their pain and confusion lingering in the earth and air, closing her eyes as she tried to reach out to them. She needed to take care of this fire.

Reopening her eyes, Lucy let them wander over the chaos in front of her. The fire was burning away at the ground, now only sizzling at the edges, but the center was still burning strong. She could feel the darkness at her back, and suddenly the fire's warmth seemed a lot more appealing. Even the forest itself seemed to be drawn to it now, with the danger creeping up on them from all sides. Lucy shivered, pulling one of her many cloaks tighter around herself.

That was when she felt it, though, as she concentrated her magic on the flames, feeling them consciously for the first time: it was alive. The fire was alive.

It burned curiously, though she could feel the confusion in the nervous flicker of its flames.

Lucy was nervous too, yet she took a hesitant step forward and took a deep breath. Smoke scratched at the inside of her throat, drying it up and making her voice the tiniest bit scratchy.

"Hello," she called out with as much calm as she managed, "Who are you?"

The flames flickered to new life, and Lucy felt as if something (the fire itself, perhaps) was watching her intently.

"I can help you," she tried again, "I am the spirit guardian of this forest, and I offer my protection if you desire it."

That was when something moved, right where the flames burned strongest. It seemed as if the fire was shrinking in on itself, drawing back from the earth to crawl back towards its source and tower upwards. In stunned silence, Lucy watched as the fire gained form, a human-like shape, yet it seemed unsure of what it was doing. Something that might have been a head turned towards her, and she felt its stare again, from an eye-less face of flame.

Hesitantly, she smiled – and the fire smiled back.

Her eyes grew wide, but she was not scared now, not anymore. Whatever the creature was that had appeared, its energy was not malicious. It seemed almost… new, for lack of a better word. Lucy wondered if it had just now been born, as it had crashed onto the forest floor.

A flaming arm lifted, and Lucy watched as fingers formed from the fiery tip. She felt as if it was trying to mirror her, and so she lifted a hand in greeting and watched it do the same.

Lucy giggled, and for a second the fire froze.

Then it flared up, more than it had ever before, so much that for a moment Lucy feared to be burned. But when she opened her eyes and lowered her hands, what she saw made her chin drop.

Where the fire had burned only seconds before, there now was… a boy?

A young man, rather, about her age, who stared at her with the same intensity of the flames that had danced around her.

He was still burning, just a little, tiny flames flicking in his hair and licking along his torso, his lower body concealed in a thin layer of flames in a way that made it seem like he was wearing pants made of pure fire. A fiery tail danced happily behind his back, much like the one that peeked out from beneath her robes.

Half-human, half-fire.

He grinned at her when their eyes locked.

"Hello," he spoke, voice a little unsure but gaining confidence with every word that left his lips, "Thank you for…coming. And for helping."

He grinned again, seeming satisfied with himself. Now that the fire had died down, his hair seemed pastel pink in the dim light that fell into the clearing.

Slowly breaking free of her trance, Lucy blinked in surprise before quickly shedding her thick brown overcoat, handing it to him with a slight blush.

The flame boy draped it around himself, and she was surprised to see the fabric did not burn even as it touched the flames.

"What's your name?" she asked.

Now it was the boy's turn to look flabbergasted. He thought about it for a moment, and then his eyes lit up as he seemed to find what he'd been looking for.

"Natsu," he answered, "Yours?"

"I'm Lucy," she said, bowing her head slightly in greeting. He didn't move. "Do you… would you like a meal? Rest? You can come with me, if you want."

A large, genuine smile spread across Natsu's face. "You're nice," he said cheerfully, stepping closer to sniff at her hair. Lucy stood very still, trying to keep her lips from quirking upwards.

"Where are you from?" she asked, "Are you from anywhere?"

"I don't know," he replied, now examining her face closely (too closely, making her move back a little when his nose bumped hers). "I'm here now."

"You are," she laughed softly, pushing him back (his skin was warm, but not as hot as she would have expected). "You're part of the forest."

Maybe it was the forest who had given him life when the comet had crashed into it, who had born him out of fire and magic. A shooting star turned human.

It could not have picked a better time. A little light in the darkness was just what she had needed, in more ways than one.

"Let me fix this," she whispered softly, tapping into her magic potential. She felt one with the nature around her whenever she used it, letting it merge her with the earth she belonged to. Her hands were warm, magic singing beneath her skin, and she let it flow out carefully, felt it sink into the bruised earth.

Life returned to the scorched ground, flowers raising their heads hesitantly and new roots burying into soft, fresh soil.

Natsu watched all of this silently, fascination and awe clear on his face.

Lucy smiled as she completed her work, and slowly opened her eyes. This little part of the forest seemed bright at last, unharmed by the darkness. For now.

Lucy knew her efforts would not last long, not anymore. The ground was healed, and it would stay so, but the darkness would return nonetheless.

"We should go," she spoke in a hushed voice, missing the way the boy called Natsu was staring at her again.

She could feel fear creeping up on her like a hungry animal watching her from behind the trees. Eyes were on them, maybe two, maybe a hundred, or more. Maybe none. But it was dark, and no one knew what waited in the shadows.

Natsu seemed to share, or at least feel, her discomfort. He nodded curtly.

"Follow me," she instructed as she began walking, trying to keep her breathing calm and her pace even. Her heart was hammering in her chest, an irrational fear driving her, threatening to swallow her whole if she didn't _hurry_.

A branch whipped into her face, and she jerked in fear, feeling the burn on her cheek but never once halting.

She only realized she'd been in a state of utter panic when a warm hand settled on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked, and she stared at him as if she only now remembered he existed.

Slowly, she exhaled, feeling the fear leave her body as she concentrated on his innocent, concerned face.

She looked around. It was dark, too dark for it to be of natural origin, but the feeling of immediate threat was gone.

Maybe there never had been anything. Maybe there had.

The darkness liked to play, she knew, chasing her like a scared deer in a forest of wolves.

Lucy shook her head. "Nothing," she said, voice full of relieve.

Natsu puffed his cheeks, staring into the darkness around them.

"What's wrong with this forest?" he asked, "Something's not right."

"You can feel it too, huh?" She kept her voice down, turning towards him with a sad smile. Of course he felt it. Everybody felt it. The forest was sick.

And, even though it was her duty, she could not do anything to fix it.

The darkness had come and taken over, all-encompassing. She was not strong enough, all on her own. And her mother had left her a long, long time ago. This forest was under her protection, and she was failing it.

Natsu's scrutinizing eyes rested on her face, and this sensation washed over her again, the feeling that he was seeing right into her heart.

"Don't worry," he said with a reassuring smile, "I believe in you."

The words hit her right in the heart, heavy yet so very genuine, and Lucy felt her lips quiver.

"You don't even know me…" she whispered, "But you're kind, Natsu."

His face lit up when she spoke his name, and it was then that Lucy realized that he was quite literally shining. Taking a deep breath and puffing his cheeks, he formed a small flame in the palm of his hand, letting it grow and rise until they both were bathed in its shining glow.

"See," Natsu grinned, "It's much brighter already."

She wanted to hug him in that moment, feel the warmth that she had felt envelop her earlier, the warmth that was so uniquely his, but she held herself back. And so she settled for a warm smile, one that she knew reached him, conveying what she could not put into words.

A simple _thankyou_ probably would not have sufficed.

"I'll tell you everything I know as soon as we get to my home," she promised, "But for now we should keep moving. It's not far now."

He took her hand into his, then. Her heart gave a surprsied little start, and she looked up at him from beneath long, light lashes. The fire in his other hand shone steadily, and the warm, orange light casted soft shadows on his face. His eyes were a brown as light as amber, glowing in the light of the flames, and he showed pointy canines as his grin spread even wider than before.

"Okay, let's go!" he called, and Lucy couldn't help the happy smile that spread across her face in response, nodding enthusiastically.

She was not alone now. Not anymore.

This was a forest of hungry wolves, but she almost had forgotten one crucial thing: she was just as hungry, for life and love and light, and the day she would give up protecting what she loved had yet to be born into existence.

Maybe the boy walking beside her was hungry too, yearning for a life he had just begun, for wonder, excitement and adventure.

Maybe they were kindred spirits, in that way.


	2. Chapter 2

_I knoooow I said this would be 3 parts originally, but of course I could not contain myself. This probably is the opposite of a problem, though. :p At this point I'm not sure if it will end up being 4 or 5 parts, tbh, it depends._

 _Either way, thankyou so much for your amazing enthusiasm for this fic, it makes me so happy!_

 _(And you should totally check out the art for this fic bc there's been more and it is AMAZING ;3; )_

 ** _As always, reviews absolutely make my day and give me boosts of energy and motivation! -3- You're all amazing!_**

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"Would you like some more tea?"

Natsu nodded, holding out the wooden cup Lucy had handed him earlier. Steam rose in small clouds as she poured the hot liquid into it, the scent of herbs (peppermint and sage, and even a hint of berries) filling the air.

Lucy's home was small, but offered everything the heart desired. It was cozy, the small fire that danced happily in the fireplace warming up the air and casting a soft light as far as it could reach. Hidden behind bushes and built into the oldest and largest tree of this forest, it felt safe and homely, a strong magical aura lingering all over.

Even the largest of trees, of course, would not have been enough to serve as a house, but the spirits had their ways of tweaking reality. Rather than bending it to their will, they gently asked, and reality complied all by itself. And so when Lucy had led Natsu through the little, beautifully carved door, he had pointed out in wonder that the inside of the tree expanded impossibly further than its exterior allowed. Lucy had smiled, busy lighting some candles to aid the fire that burned steadily in her fireplace.

The darkness that resided here was natural and soft, nothing like the shapeless evil that stalked the forest, patiently waiting like a starving snake; unmoving, lurking.

They sat on the ground beside a low table, wooly blankets covering their feet as they drank their tea and exchanged smiles and curious glances.

They had barely met, but the silence they were sharing felt comfortable and peaceful.

Two bowls of vegetable stew, accompanied by some dry bread, was all Lucy could offer for dinner, but for Natsu every experience was new, and every taste a delight.

"I'm sorry I can't offer you a better meal," she apologized, lowering her gaze, "Times have been a little rough. My pantry is not as full as it used to be. The land gives less now."

"But this is awesome!" Natsu protested, heartily biting into his slice of bread and littering crumbs everywhere.

It did not escape Lucy, however, that his eyes kept flicking over towards the crackling fire beside them, his gaze curious – and hungry. Maybe he didn't even notice himself. She wondered…

Little breadcrumbs stuck to his lips, and he licked them away absentmindedly, completely focused on the fire now. Lucy followed the direction of his gaze, watching the flames blaze and curl, their shape and colour in steady change. She felt its warmth on her skin, heard the comforting crackling as it ate away at the logs. Natsu's stomach rumbled, then, ripping both of them out of their trance.

"Hey… Natsu," Lucy started slowly, studying the little flames that had suddenly erupted in his hair, "Could it be, the fire… Do you want to, uh, try?"

Natsu blinked at her in confusion, cocking his head.

"Well, you seem to be something like a fire spirit," she clarified, "Maybe you need to feed on flames too?"

His eyes widened curiously, leaving her face to stare at the little fire again. "It looks kinda tasty," he agreed, "Smells good too."

Lucy smiled fondly, amused by his unsure behaviour. "Why don't you try it?" she nudged again, and this time he scooted closer to the fireplace.

Leaning his head forwards, he inhaled loudly, and she could have sworn he started drooling a little. Then, gingerly, he reached his hand forwards.

His fingertips touched the flames, which promptly licked along his skin.

They did not seem to hurt him, and he curiously moved his hand first over the flames, letting them tickle his palm, and then dipped it lower. And suddenly Lucy could not distinguish his hand from the flames around it. It was as if it was fire itself, mingling with its element and returning to its essence.

The fire slowly spread up his wrist, and for a moment Lucy was scared: scared that the flames might take back what was theirs, that they might take Natsu from her and leave her all alone again.

But he pulled back, and his arm returned to human form, albeit the flames in his hand continued burning. It was as if he was gripping them, as if they were actually tangible. They seemed to be, for him.

Lucy watched open-mouthed as he held them up in front of his face, poking his tongue out to lick at the fire like a cat would lick at a bowl of milk. He seemed to like what he tasted, because the next thing she knew was that he had stuffed his whole fist into his mouth.

A happy little moan left his lips, and he sighed as he licked the flames off his fingers hungrily.

"Seems like that worked," Lucy chuckled to herself, watching as a large grin spread across Natsu's face when he turned to look at her.

"That was _amazing_! You're a genius, Lucy!" he called, reaching out to grab her shoulders. The robe she had lent him slipped off his shoulder, but he didn't seem to care or even notice, beaming happily. He really did remind her of a flame.

She smiled back, feeling her whole face warm up in a way that no normal fire could have accomplished. Really, she hadn't felt this carefree and hopeful in a long time.

The gears in his head were turning, she could see it in the way his face slipped in concentration, eyes staring at nothing for a second. Then a triumphant grin quite literally split his face in half, and his eyebrows rose playfully.

"I'm all fired up now," he cackled, and Lucy joined in on his laughter before she knew it.

It rang loudly in her small home, filling it with life and happiness. It was as if the tree was breathing in their joy, and giving back manifold. The space seemed a lot brighter than it had when they'd first entered together not too long ago.

Sighing and blinking away small tears of laughter, Lucy took her spoon into her hand with new vigour, savouring the taste of the stew she had cooked for two. It was a curious thing, but food really did taste better when shared.

Now Natsu, having discovered the joys of food in all its (unexpected) shapes and sizes, was busy taking turns sipping from his soup and sinking his hand into the fireplace.

It was a sight to behold, and Lucy had become so happy watching him, being with him, that for this small moment in time that she had forgotten all about the problem that had been ever-present in her mind for a much too long time.

There was a darkness lurking in the forest, something evil that was stealing the light and reigning with fear and terror, and she couldn't fight it on her own.

A now familiar shadow overcast her face, her smile clouding. Yes, she was safe from the danger, and happy for now – but many weren't. Maybe they would not be for much longer either. The darkness was stealthy, slow but relentless, and sooner or later, if no one stopped it, it would swallow the forest whole.

Natsu noticed her change in mood, eyeing her carefully.

It could hurt him, too. She could not let it snuff out his fire. He was under her protection like every living and breathing thing in this forest. They all were her friends.

And so she made a decision.

"Natsu," she started, "I haven't told you about the forest yet. I said I would."

The boy perked, curiously scooting closer and pulling the blanket further up his legs. Then he stopped half-way, offering it up to her too.

With a little smile, Lucy silently accepted, draping the blanket over her legs. And so they sat beside each other, shoulders and thighs touching comfortably, as Lucy began her tale.

"This forest used to be a happy place. I grew up here with my mother, who was the spirit guardian before me. Everything I know, I learned from her. The woods were full of life and laughter, and we were very happy looking after the forest together. But she got sick, very sick. And… not long after she died, the light began to fade. It was as if something was weakening it, devouring it. And along with the darkness, this feeling of… hopelessness and fear came. I don't know what it is, I don't know what's waiting in the darkness, or if the darkness itself is alive. But it scares everyone and everything; it takes my friends. I haven't seen anyone in a long time. Even the plants, the trees and flowers… it doesn't exactly kill them, but… they're sad, and depressed. I can hear them crying sometimes. The forest is hurt and it hurts me too."

Pausing to steady her hurt voice, Lucy took a shaky breath.

"And I couldn't stop it from happening. I _tried_ , I really did. But this is why, now… I have to stop it, no matter the cost. I waited far too long. I couldn't do anything, and I hate it. But… there's a way. It has to be possible."

Determination took hold of her face as she balled her fists at her sides, and Natsu, still silent, gave her a questioning look.

"There's this legend. Beneath the forest, the spirit king sleeps. There is a gate that can summon him, and only the spirit guardian can open it. I know the story, and I know the gate exists. My mother took me to see it once, when I was younger, and told me to remember it well in times of need. If I can open it, and summon the spirit king…" Lucy's hopeful voice lost its drive, slowly dying down to a whisper, "But it's in the deepest part of the forest. The darkness has taken over there, and no one dares go near it anymore. I can't get there. I tried, once, but what's a little light against an ocean of darkness?" she asked, lips trembling. "I can't sustain the light for long, not even around here."

Natsu nudged her gently, and Lucy sniffed.

"I can barely leave my home anymore," she admitted sadly, twiddling her thumbs, "It takes a lot of strength."

She sighed, giving him a sad smile. It remained quiet for a moment, the little story drawing to a close in the silence, even after Lucy had stopped speaking.

"So this is why I have to go." Lucy nodded to herself, smiling grimly. "You can stay here, you'll be safe. But this is something I have to do, I owe it to everyone. I will protect all of you. I will see my friends again, together with you. Thankyou Natsu." She smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You gave me new hope."

Natsu blinked at her as if, while certainly having listened closely to her story, he was not really able to see her problem. "I don't understand."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion mixing in with her sadness.

"I don't understand," he repeated, "You have me now."

Lucy's eyes widened, mouth opening but no words leaving her lips.

"I'm a flame," he said with a proud smile, as if he had just now decided what he was and how he would define himself, and was happy with his awareness, "I can light the way if you lead it. Together we can get there, can't we?"

"You… would really do that?" Lucy asked in disbelief. "You don't have to do this for me. It's dangerous."

"But I want to!" he protested happily, breadcrumbs falling off his hand as he lifted it into the air enthusiastically. "You helped me, so I want to help you! Besides, you're really nice."

Lucy did not want to protest, really, even if she probably should have.

Natsu was a flame, and he would gladly lend her the light she needed. Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes, happy tears, and this time she did give in to her joy and exhilaration. Leaning forward, she hugged the cloaked boy, pressing him flat against her chest as if she never wanted to let go.

Maybe she didn't.

His hands were warm just like the rest of him, slowly settling on her back. Lucy felt him sigh against her, his body relaxing. He smelled of smoke; the good kind. She didn't see his face, but she knew he was smiling; she could picture his expression.

"I think your mother was a nice person," he suddenly spoke against her, "because you're such a nice person too."

It was such a simple statement, but it made her heart swell to the point she thought it might explode any second. She buried her face against his shoulder, inhaling deeply.

"I wonder what it's like to have a mother, or a father," he said more solemnly, and Lucy found her heart breaking all over again, in an entirely different way.

"I'm sure you can find a family here," she replied softly after a moment, "This forest is big, and once we save it I can introduce you to many of my friends. Many spirits reside here, and they are all very lovable in their own way. I even know a fire dragon spirit; I think you would love him. Families come in many different shapes and sizes, and sometimes unexpected people can become as important to you as a mother, a father, a sibling or… something else. The only thing you need is love, really."

"Love…" he echoed. "I think I know what that is. It's the warm feeling in your heart."

"Yes." She smiled.

"Can you be my family, too?"

He pulled back, eyeing her seriously; expectant and hopeful.

"Yes," she said again, smiling from one ear to the other, so hard it almost hurt.

"Good." He nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. "That means you'll stay with me forever."

He yawned, then, stretching his arms over his head and opening his mouth so wide she could see the little fire burning in his throat.

Lucy giggled softly. She felt as if a fire was burning inside her, too.

Sleep was tugging at her eyelids just as it seemed to do with Natsu, who was already about to fall asleep, it seemed, curling against her side. Lucy blushed again, but shook her head.

It was warm and safe here beside him, and she deserved a good night's sleep.

She had a feeling she would wake up more rested than she had been in months.

And so they fell asleep beside each other, close to the fire and huddled into soft blankets.

Soft, rhytmical breaths mingled with the occasional sparking of the fire and breaking of logs, a soothing sound in the quiet of night.

Tomorrow, they would embark on an adventure.

But tonight they slept peacefully, happy to have a new friend by their side.


	3. Chapter 3

**On we go with Part 3! I pledge to finish this little fic before the year ends!**

 **And thankyou so much for your lovely reviews! They motivate me so much, so if you leave one, my love is most certainly yours! ;)**

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Rays of sunshine fell through one of the little windows of Lucy's home. They cast a bright square onto the wooden floor, right at the feet of Lucy and her guest, as if they were standing on a soft fluffy carpet.

The sun seemed to rise slowly these days, reluctantly even, as if it was upset that it could not reach past the thick shadow in the forest. The light it shone down flowed like molten caramel, struggling to fight off some of the darkness, as if the latter had spun spiderwebs between the trees: black threads that trapped the light itself and prevented it from proceeding any further.

"And you're really sure about this?"

Lucy eyed Natsu with a mixture of worry and hopefulness, and he gave her a bright smile, little flames tumbling out of his mouth. "More fired up than ever!" he called with his hands on his hips, spewing a little fiery fountain, "Which is good, because I'll be busy lighting up that whole forest for you!"

Somehow, his energy spread to her much like his warmth, and she found herself more brave than she had ever been. Determination gripped her and she flashed a grin back at him, any doubt she'd held onto gone, at least for the moment.

The coat rack beside the door held two cloaks: a brown one of similar size and colour to the one she'd been wearing yesterday, and a dark green one that seemed to be the largest, with a hood. It was this one that she picked out for Natsu, holding it out to him.

"But Lucy," Natsu objected, taking the cloak from her anyways, "I'm never cold. Did you forget I'm a flame?"

"Maybe you'll be thankful for it later," Lucy replied vaguely, "You know… sometimes it's not about the cold. It's like… a blanket. Even in summer, when it's hot and sticky and you sweat so much you think you'll melt, you will still use a blanket to sleep. Because you're scared of the dark, and what might get to you if you're not hidden under a cover."

Natsu pondered this, and then nodded slowly. "For protection."

He'd given her back the cloak she had lent him despite her protest, but now he accepted her new offering yet again. He rolled himself into the spacious cloak, wrapping it around him until only his face and pink bangs were visible. Somehow, she felt it belonged to him now, a gift perhaps. It felt right. Natsu lifted his arms, grimacing in what was probably supposed to be a frightful expression, and roared dangerously.

"Maybe we will meet the dragon you told me about," he said enthusiastically after the roaring was done, "I really wanna meet a dragon!"

Lucy held a hand to her mouth to hold back her laughter.

His childlike joy was contagious, and Lucy almost forgot about the dangerous task at hand: Natsu made it seem like such a fun adventure. Maybe that was the way it should be looked at. Wasn't it true that those for whom losing was not even an option were those that succeeded in the end?

With that thought in mind Lucy grabbed the little lantern that stood on the shelf.

"Alright, let's go!"

The treetops rustled ominously above them as they stepped out of Lucy's tree, cool air hitting their faces. It should not have been this cold, not in summer, but the sunlight barely reached the ground anymore.

They'd spent all morning preparing for their trip, and so it was late afternoon when they set out. The ground felt crisp beneath Lucy's boots, and she could hear the slight cracking with every step she took, a sound the frost brought with it.

It had not been this cold yesterday.

It felt almost as if the darkness had gotten closer, besieging their house as they had slept. Following them. Shivering, Lucy tugged her coat more tightly around herself, turning as if to reassure herself that Natsu was still there with her. It was not something she had to do – she could hear and feel him, either way. But somehow seeing him helped in more ways than one.

He, too, was tugging at his cloak, but stopped when he caught her eyes on him.

Flashing her a large, motivated smile, he sped up his pace and caught up to her.

The forest was light in these parts she called her home, and yet the darkness had found its way here too. Lucy wondered just how dark it had gotten in the deeper parts of the forest; the very center for which they were headed. Little lived there, anymore. The animals had fled, seeking out parts where the sunlight was not swallowed completely, where it still could fight its way even through the thick canopy of leaves and branches. These parts, however, were becoming more and more sparse.

It really was time to act; if only it wasn't too late already. She hoped she could right her wrongs now, once and for all. She felt ashamed of herself, but somehow the feeling was hard to hold onto whenever her new friend smiled.

Hope was a much better feeling anyways, was it not?

They still had a very long way to go.

For a while, they continued on in silence.

They did not meet many of the forest's inhabitants, and once more Lucy noticed what she had told Natsu: the forest was depressed.

The flowers were hanging their heads, the usually bright shades of green (the dark moss on the tree trunks, the leaves that offered everything from emerald to a light, soft hue, the rich greens of the grass that swayed in the breeze) were dampened, as if they were losing their colours. Even the wind that blew around them sounded like the trees were sighing.

"You're right," Natsu muttered beside her, "The forest is sad."

It was a feeling that spread easily, a contagious sadness that creeped up on them.

"I've never felt sad before," Natsu mused, "I don't like it very much. Happy is better."

It was curious: Natsu seemed to have born with a lot of knowledge; it was given to him much like his body. His name, language, even walking, those were all things he had not needed to learn. Still there were some things he did not know, even if they seemed like an intricate part of life to Lucy. She wondered how it came that he knew some things and not others, but every time he asked a question, she did not get far with her explanation, either.

It was usually enough to mention important words, words he had not yet learned, and upon hearing them they revealed their meaning to him all by themselves. Lucy did not have to teach him, not really.

It was like the time she had asked him for his name, when they had first met in the clearing his little comet had crashed into, and it had taken him a moment to recollect the knowledge from… somewhere, to understand the concept of a name. And somehow, he had found it without much trouble. It was just there.

Maybe the words carried their message in themselves, gaining their meaning by being spoken out loud. They were powerful, in that way.

Words were magic, too.

"I'm hungry," Natsu interrupted her thoughts.

And sometimes, words were just a means to an end.

"Are you suggesting we should stop to eat?" Lucy asked with a smile, letting the small bag she carried slide off her shoulder as she turned towards him.

"Duh," Natsu dead-panned, to which she just blinked, unsure whether to be slightly offended or amused.

She settled for the latter without further ado.

From what she could tell, the sun had begun to set. It had become hard to tell just when the gloominess of day gave way to the complete blackness of the night, because the transition was slow and of such miniscule, gradual difference that before you knew it you were surrounded by total darkness.

Maybe they should simply call it a day. She was hungry, too, and they had gotten far enough into the deeper parts of the woods. It was still at least half a day's march from here to the gate, and the shelter of a little camp seemed so very alluring when she, for the first time that day, noticed the gooey, almost tangible darkness between the trees. It could have dripped off the branches and formed little puddles on the ground, and Lucy wouldn't have been surprised. She felt as if it was watching them.

Quickly, she turned her back to the spot she had been staring at, concentrating on her companion. He had soothed her last time, and he did so again as she walked up to him.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

She had a feeling, sometimes, that if you were afraid – that's when they'd get you.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but she was sure it wanted you to be afraid, like a cat playing with a wounded, scared mouse. Whatever this darkness was, it (or whatever was hiding in its shadows, advancing together inch by inch) was alive. She would not give it the pleasure, the triumph. Oh, no. She was not a mouse.

Lucy was neither wounded nor scared, and definitely not little.

Smiling proudly, Lucy puffed her cheeks and exhaled through her nose. Natsu watched her in amusement, already sitting on the ground, at the foot of a large, old tree. Soft moss grew on its side, right were he sat, and she let her hand glide over the cool plant before sinking down beside Natsu. This was a good tree. It was still fighting.

It would protect them.

They shared the bread they had prepared together (with strawberry jam, homemade) and heated up some water with the little fire Natsu had lit with his flames – to make tea. A few flames, the smaller ones that were young and impetuous, obediently crawled into the lantern Lucy had brought along. They would grow throughout the night, feeding off the oil and burning brightly against the darkness.

And so they sat beside the little fire, huddling together, as Lucy told amazing tales of adventure, danger and evil, of mighty foes and mightier heroes, of the prevalence of love, family and friendship – tales that made Natsu's eyes grow wide with wonder.

"How do you know all this?" he asked at one point, "Were you there to see all of them?"

"Oh, no," Lucy chuckled, "Some of them were real, though, and some I lived myself. But most of them I read in books. I love reading, you know. The pages take you away into new worlds, and it's as if you were there with the people you read about. You hold your breath when they're in danger, you smile when they're happy… You wish you could fall through the pages and go on adventures with them. But at the same time, when you're finished, you can discover new things about your own world and you carry the lessons you learned into it."

Lucy smiled, watching sparks rise into the night before they faded out of existence. Natsu watched too, for a moment, but her face seemed more fascinating to him. Her eyes were glowing softly in the light of the fire, even brighter than the rest of her.

"I think you'd enjoy it too. Reading, I mean," she continued, snapping out of her trance. "Stories are a little like your flames, in a way. Temporary, but beautiful – and they make you feel all warm."

"I like it when you tell me stories," Natsu added onto her thought, "It makes me feel all warm inside, too."

What was it about his words that continued to make her blush like a child?

Looking straight forward, into the fire, Lucy bit her lip in an attempt not to smile like one, too. But there really was no helping it – emotion conquered her whole face anways. Smiling brightly, she glanced over at him. He was smiling right back, a warm, large, genuine smile, and at once Lucy felt at home again. She had nothing to be embarassed about.

"I like telling stories," she told him fondly, "Ah, but they're nowhere as amazing as my mom's! You should have heard her stories, Natsu; she always told them to me when I was younger. Most of them, she even made up herself. Those were the most exciting."

A stupid little grin had crept onto Lucy's face, eyes lighting up as she talked about her mother, and Natsu listened all too gladly. They talked on and on into the night, until both their eyelids were drooping dangerously.

The little lantern shone steadily even as the campfire slowly died down to glimmering coals. The two of them had huddled together very closely, leaning their backs against the ree trunk, and now Lucy gripped onto Natsu's coat. She shivered and pushed her face against his shoulder.

"It's dark," she whispered, "Did you notice how dark it has gotten?"

The lantern was their only lightsource now, such a small thing against a mountain of darkness. And yet, the litte flame made her feel weirdly safe and sheltered.

Much like her companion who, she began to realize, seemed rather fearless in the face of danger. Good. He could be strong for the both of them, and make her brave in the process.

"Ha!" he called into the looming darkness, flames burning in his mouth. "You ain't scaring me!"

Lucy's eyes widened, and she froze against his side.

Nothing happened.

After a few moments of silence, she slowly relaxed.

"Sheesh," she mumbled, "Are you brave, or are you stupid?"

"Does it matter," he chuckled. Then he proceeded to take off his cloak, only to throw it over the both of them in the next instant. It was dark, at first, but a little flame flickered to life in the palm of his hand, and she could see him grinning in the shadows.

"Protection, right?"

A small giggle escaped her lips before she knew it, and she nodded, bumping her forehead against his chin. It didn't really occur to her that he was technically naked without his cloak, but it did not really matter either. That was how he had always been. His skin was warm; the flames sometimes licking along his body none that burned or hurt her.

It was warm and safe in their little hideout, and the space beneath the cloak-turned-blanket soon heated up comfortably. They started whispering, as if the blanket demanded for silence, as if they were conspirators exchanging guarded secrets. Sometimes one would snort, and the sound faded out of their makeshift cave and into the night.

Lucy told one last story as she leaned against his side, watching the flame dance in his left hand as she spoke. At some point his head dropped against hers, and as their tails intertwined Lucy barely had time to notice that she had stopped talking.

It was comfy and warm and wonderful, the darkness outside their shelter completely forgotten, shut out with light and laughter.

And that was how they fell asleep.

When they awoke, they weren't alone under the blanket.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey there, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! :) Or yknow, a couple of nice days. B)**

 **The next chapter will most likely be _the last_ of this little adventure! Then I'll be back to writing _the devil's advocate_! ...and to working on another, new collab fic with my girls from the _eviltrinity_ account here on ff B))) If you liked _Trial By Fire_ , you should keep your eyes out for this one too, hehe.**

 **You would absolutely make my day if you would drop a review to let me know what you thought of the chapter/fic! :3**

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Something was pressing against Lucy's chest, something soft and warm and furry.

First she thought it was just Natsu's hair, but as she slowly opened her eyes and blinked away sleep, she realized that she was staring at Natsu's chest, and that she was curled up against him with the blanket covering them both.

No, what was pressing against her chest was… a small cat. She realized this as she took a closer look – and listened. The dim light made her surroundings seem contourless and shadowy, but the little thing was _purring_.

Craning her neck, she tried to find out if Natsu was still asleep. The thread of drool that connected his face to the ground served as an answer, the accompanying snore becoming mere emphasis.

It was loud enough to wake the little furball, though, and two blue ears jerked curiously as it lifted its head. Clever, bright eyes fixed themselves on Lucy, who smiled hesitantly.

Unwinding itself, the cat rolled onto its back and rubbed its head against her contently.

The cool, moist muzzle tickling her skin sent the last bit of fatigue running, and Lucy carefully lifted a hand to stroke over soft fur. Like the ears, the rest of the animal was a bright blue. A spirit, probably.

It must have stumbled across their little cocoon of light in its flight of the dark, curiosity leading it to investigate what lay beneath.

It must have liked what it had found.

Maybe sometimes, curiosity didn't kill the cat. Maybe sometimes, it saved it.

Who it did not save, however, was Natsu. Because now the animal's attention diverted to the snoring mountain of a man, and it diligently scaled his chest on its quest to reach his face.

It was so very small, its paws soft and the claws barely hard enough to pull itself along the thick skin. Such a young kitten, all alone in the forest.

What a cruel world it had been born into. And what a brave cat it was.

The brave cat finally reached its intended destination, decidedly – and quite happily – placing its behind right on Natsu's face. It began purring again, so loud Lucy thought it might have swallowed a bumblebee.

This, at last, was disturbance enough to wake even Natsu.

He sniffed, his arm shifting forward until it touched her waist, where it lingered for a moment before moving up and placing a hand on the cat that had made his face its bed.

"Waff diff," was all she could make out until he dragged the cat off his face. It refused to leave him though, and clung to his throat instead. His eyes were as large as her soup plates as he stared at the little creature.

"A cat?" he mumbled, a small smile spreading across his face as he automatically started massaging the purring little furball between its ears.

He looked up at Lucy, eyes shining with childlike joy, silently asking the unavoidable question that always arose when one found a lonely cat: can we keep it?

"It must have snuck in while we were asleep," Lucy stated the obvious, touched by the sight of the two, and how well they seemed to get along instantaneously.

"I like him!" Natsu declared happily. "He wants to stay with us, right? He _can_ , right?"

Lucy chuckled. "For as long as he wishes."

"I wonder if he has a name," he went on, elated by Lucy's approval.

"He's a young spirit," Lucy informed him as she gently picked up the cat, smiling at its confused little face. Her gaze moved to Natsu, eyes turning soft. "Like you."

His lips formed a curious little circle. "Like me…" he repeated, watching closely as the little cat climbed Lucy's shoulder. It did not seem scared at all, but all the more adventurous and… happy.

"It would be only fitting for you to name him," Lucy said with an encouraging smile, and Natsu beamed. It didn't take him long.

"Happy," he answered without missing a beat, and the blue cat turned his head towards him, clever eyes twinkling.

Some might call it a coincidence, but the two of them knew better.

"Happy. I like it," Lucy approved, and for the first time, Happy the cat meowed. It was a low, squealing sound, still untrained and unbefitting of a grown cat, but positively content.

His tail, with a white tip as if he had dipped it into a can of paint, stroked the side of her face, and as she laughed, she thought the choice of name had been very fitting indeed. This little cat really did bring happiness.

"Still, we should keep going," she decided.

Nodding, Natsu got up alongside her. Their campfire had long since burned out, leaving only a heap of ash. Natsu's fire was the only thing shedding light into the darkness now.

They were on their way promptly, as there was not much to pack up. Happy followed them as if it were the natural thing to do, soft paws digging into even softer ground as he tiptoed along beside them in an effort to keep up.

"It's about half a day's march from here," Lucy informed Natsu as they left their former camp behind, "Maybe a little less."

"We can do that easily!" Natsu proclaimed with his usual cheer, his steps bounding with energy.

And so the party of three walked on and on, through a forest of darkness and watchful eyes, as Natsu lit the way that Lucy led.

They grew quieter the further they entruded, the darkness smothering them until they huddled together closely. Every step they took echoed loudly around them, as if the forest was devoid of any other sound, as if they were the only living thing. And indeed, it was too quiet: the treetops weren't rustling, there were no birds to cry or sing above them, no snapping of branches as small animals scurried through the undergrowth. They were alone.

But at the same time, they felt they weren't.

The eyes were back, the feeling of something watching them no matter where they went.

Lucy kept her eyes straight forward, fixed on the path she had to find.

So concentrated was she that it took her a while until she noticed something peculiar: it was just a miniscule difference, one you did not notice right away, but now that she glanced sidewards at Natsu, she found that he was about her height.

She could have sworn he had been taller than her.

No – she was sure. But now, he was not. And that meant…

Lucy slowed to a halt as the thought, and the implications it brought with it, festered in her mind. His powers were draining. His magic, like all, was not infinite.

"Natsu, are you okay?" she asked, causing him to turn around curiously, confusion on his face as he took in her worry.

"Of course I'm okay, Lucy!" he declared as a matter of fact, cocking his head. "Why would I not be?"

"It's just…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "Nevermind. Must be my imagination…Are you sure you're okay?"

He smiled at her again, completely careless, and Lucy found herself wondering if maybe her mind had been playing a trick on her after all. He seemed absolutely fine. And yet…

For a while, they walked on in despondent silence.

At some point, Lucy unconsciously reached for Natsu's hand, lacing her fingers through his. He responded with a squeeze that was meant to reassure them both.

Fear lingered in the air all around, reaching out for them with long, bony, pitch-back fingers that graced their hair and grasped for their ankles. This darkness had driven all joy away, and now it was preying on them, ready to pounce if they showed any signs of weakness.

"Natsu, I'm scared," Lucy admitted, lips trembling.

"Me too," he told her quietly, to her surprise (shock even – because if he was scared too then how could they have any hope left?), but then he smiled. "But that's okay. We'll win anyways."

His amber eyes shone reassuringly, and for a moment she almost lost herself in them.

Yes, it was okay to be scared. Being scared did not mean giving up.

His face quite literally lit up with the combined effort of his magic and determination, and Lucy regarded it fondly as she once again found herself impossibly grateful for the boy at her side.

He seemed almost like a young boy, less like the man she had seen before, and she wondered if it was just his smile or if there was something else changing his appearance.

But before she could delve deeper into her worries, something stroked along her calf, and she jumped with a quiet gasp. Happy meowed almost apologetically from his spot on the ground, and Lucy was so relieved she let out a short laugh. The poor cat.

He, too, must be scared. He was pressing closely against her leg, and she crouched down to pick the trembling creature up.

Immediately, he snuggled against her neck, pushing his dirty paws against her coat rhythmically. She soothed him as best as she could, and soon Happy started purring lowly.

Concentrating on the little cat alone had taken her mind of the lingering threat, and to her surprise she found it helped. Maybe the trick was not to think of it. To not let it into your heart and mind. Of course, that was easier said than done.

Darkness had its ways of creeping in.

"Lucy…" Natsu's voice ripped her from her train of thought, his tone jerking her back to reality forcefully and making her blood freeze as she brought her attention from Happy to him. "I feel a little…"

It took her a moment to process what she was seeing.

It looked like he was… dissolving. He was reverting back to his fire form, similar to when she had first seen him. Bu now he also seemed like a young boy, much smaller, as surprised eyes stared at her out of a fery face. Lucy didn't know what to do.

Her mind had not been fooling her at all. Natsu was shrinking.

Natsu was _going out_.

No.

"Natsu!" she yelped, stumbling towards him with Happy clutched to her chest.

He was shrinking still, the surprised look etched onto his face, and with the strength fear lent her, Lucy let her magic spill as she knelt down beside him. Golden light filled the space around them, not much, but enough to drive away the closest of the malicious darkness that was feeding off him. Even now, as her light illuminated him, it seemed as if the darkness was clinging to him with hungry teeth. As if it had sunk them deep into him and refused to let go.

But darkness always had to yield to light.

Both of them were panting as Lucy threw her arms around him, hugging him as close as Happy, who was squished between their bodies. Natsu was flickering, trying to hold on to his form, but it cost him a lot of power.

Groaning, he let his head drop against her shoulder.

"Don't worry Lucy," he mumbled, "Even if I look differently, it's still me."

First, she didn't quite understand his words, but then she felt his touch fading, the cold lack of his body heat, and when she opened her eyes in panic she found a small flame sitting on the forest floor.

"N-Natsu?" she asked, hands trembling as she reached for him.

The little flame moved its mouth (or what probably was a mouth, she wasn't really sure) and coughed out a cloud of smoke. She laughed, with tears in her eyes, and gently reached out a hand. He promptly crawled onto her palm, and as she stood back up carefully, he croaked again. The sound he produced sounded a lot like _Lucy_.

"Oh my stars, Natsu, I'm so sorry," Lucy whimpered, cradling him against her much like she had done to Happy moments ago. The cat had crawled onto her back, where he rested safely in the hood of her cloak, curiously peeking over her shoulder.

The fire that was Natsu managed a smile, and this time when it attempted speaking it worked out a lot better.

"Just saving some energy, Lucy, it's no big deal," he chuckled weakly, with a voice that was Natsu's and at the same time wasn't. Of course, he was telling a bold lie, and they both knew it. Still, Lucy smiled back despite the tears brimming in her eyes.

"Idiot," she whispered, "You're such an idiot. Pretending like everything's alright…"

Natsu blazed up in protest.

"But it is! I'm all fired up!" he cried, and it seemed almost comically as he sat in her hand, "We ain't giving up now! I'm fine, really! Let's go!"

"You said that before," Lucy reprimanded, "And look at you now!"

"But I am fine!" Lucy wasn't sure if a fire had the ability to pout, but this was exactly what it looked like. "I'm fine because of _you_. You protected me."

"Natsu, I'm not going to play with your life! I'm not going to put you in danger because of this!" she called, even if his words had given her new hope.

"We can't really go back now, can we?" Natsu dead-panned, and the truth hit Lucy like a branch to the face.

He was right. Even if the did turn around now, the way back was longer than the one before them, and just as dangerous. There was no way…

There was no way.

Oh, what was she supposed to do?

Lucy clenched her teeth, forcing the tears from falling by sheer willpower.

"Let's go find the spirit king, right?" Natsu prompted, setting her mind back on track like he always seemed to do. The spirit king could help them.

That was why they had set out in the first place, was it not?

They were so close now.

"Be strong, Natsu," she whispered with new determination, "I'll save you, so don't worry. I'll _protect_ you. Because that's what I do."

"Now that's much better!" Natsu declared happily.

And then he flickered out of existence.


	5. Chapter 5

**The final number of chapters has been decided at last! :'D One more to go!**

 **Thankyou all so much for your enthusiasm, your kind and excited reviews and wonderful contributions. Reviews really make my day! :3  
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It was just for a second, but in that small instance Lucy felt him fade from existence, and her heart froze even as the flame sprung to new life and fought its way back to reality.

But just as her heart, her feet froze too. Her body refused to take a single step further.

It didn't matter what Natsu said: his life was at stake, and dangerously so. He was hanging by a thread, and she sure as hell would not risk losing him, no matter how he kicked and screamed. Though, she thought bitterly, at this point he probably did not have the energy left.

"Natsu," she whispered, and felt the fire's attention on her. "What do I do?"

Panic took a hold of her.

She had to do _something_. But even as her frantic thoughts raced and her heart pounded, her mind came up empty. There was no way out of this. Nowhere to run.

And yet instinct told her that this was precisely what she should be doing, against all sense and logic – running. There was danger here, and yet she was standing still, and every part of her was screaming to _run_ , to save herself and the two people that depended on her.

So she did.

Blind panic pushed her on, made her put one foot in front of the other with no regard as to where it landed. Muddy water splashed against her calves, and more than once she tripped over treacherous roots and stumbled against treetrunks, ran into branches she had not seen coming until it had been too late.

The forest was not on her side here; it did not aid its guardian.

The forest here was full of terrors.

All the while, Lucy clutched Natsu's little flame tightly against her chest, feeling Happy's weight on her back even as his claws did not reach all the way through the thick cloak.

Something was chasing her. She was sure of it.

And if she stopped – oh, if she stopped – something horrible and unspeakable would be right there, right behind her, reaching out and–

Her foot caught on a large root.

It was a hard fall despite the soft, wet ground. Lucy refused to let go of Natsu or to turn onto her back with Happy still clinging to her in desperation, and so all she could do was close her eyes and hope for the best.

The traitorous root pushed harshly into her side, and the air was driven from her lungs so hard that it hurt to suck it back in. For a few torturous seconds she lay completely still, scared of what might happen if she were to move – scared of what she might find if she opened her hands.

Natsu's usually so comforting, blazing heat had become so weak that she could barely feel it even though it was contained between her hands. Half her face was pushed into the dirt, and little stones pressed against her skin, no doubt having ripped open some small gashes. Her body was trembling with fear.

She was lost and alone and Natsu was about to go out and– oh, what was she supposed to _do_?!

At last, a sob tore from her throat.

She was going to die here, and she had not been able to protect anyone.

The only sound in the stillness was her own erratic breathing. Natsu seemed to have lost the capacity of speech altogether, fighting with all his energy to simply stay alive, and Happy had to be just as terrified as her.

Lucy dared not look up; she knew all that she would find was complete darkness.

Darkness alone was more terrifying than the monsters that it might hold – it was the threat of uncertainty, of blindness and possibility that let the imagination run wild.

In a way, seeing what you were up against made it less scary.

But what if there was nothing to see?

What if there was nothing hiding in the darkness but darkness itself?

How did you fight something you could not touch, something without a body or even mind, something creeping in the shadows with the sole purpose of _devouring_?

It might not have physical form – but it was very real.

And it was coming for her.

Then, the sounds started. If Lucy had found the complete silence terrifying, then hearing a shapeless evil _move_ in the dark was enough to drive her to the brink of madness.

Small noises drifted to her, of branches suddenly swaying in the wind, a quiet howling that sounded almost painful, as a presence settled around her. Lucy wailed quietly, curling in on herself and around Natsu, and Happy scrambled for safety beneath her arms aswell.

A faint touch ghosted across her side, and Lucy held her breath.

The darkness was clinging to her: she could feel it slowly dripping over her like goo.

Her magic, her life force, it was fading now like Natsu's had.

Suddenly, the sound of snapping branches drifted to her, of heavy steps that came closer. They scared her too, but they scared her less than the threat looming over her. Panting, she jerked up into a sitting position, gasping for breath even as she continued to shiver uncontrollably.

It was pitch-black, but she could _feel_ something retracting, pulling back like a startled spider.

And then, at last, there was light.

Bright flames illuminated her surroundings, dancing between mossy treetrunks and shedding light into the dark.

She thought she could hear something hissing as the darkness faded.

"Well, fry me a bloody steak! If it isn't young Lucy," a carefree voice boomed, "How long has it been! What are you doing in these parts?"

If she hadn't known better, Lucy would gave thought she'd just woken from a bad dream.

In a daze, she blinked at the mighty silhouette behind the trees, watching as it slowly shrank together until it was swallowed by the forest and disappeared between the tree trunks. She recognized this voice.

"Igneel?" she asked, her voice trembling and rough.

"Looks like I arrived at just the right time, huh," the man that emerged from the shadows spoke, extending a hand as he came to a halt in front of Lucy.

He was tall, tangled red hair falling over a face that was half covered in scales, and half in a large scar that reached from his temple almost all the way down to his jaw.

But as ferocious as he looked, the warm smile on his face gave him away, transformed something scary into an invitation.

And yet, Lucy could not accept it. Her hands hurt, still tightly closed around Natsu's flame, and she was scared to move even a finger. The fire gently licked against her palms from time to time, but other than that there were no life signs coming from her friend.

Igneel noticed her distress, curiously fixing his gaze on her hands as she pulled them closer to her chest. Happy stroked around his knees, taking an immediate liking to the mysterious man and the heat that emanated from him.

"What do you have there?" he asked, eyes wide. "That's fire."

"That's… that's my friend," Lucy whispered, not quite trusting her voice not to break.

"Can I see?" he asked, voice calm as he kneeled down in front of her.

She nodded, very cautiously reaching out to open her hands.

Natsu was nothing more than a spark, glimmering and reaching out an occasional thin flame as if he was grasping for her, clinging onto life with his last strength. The fresh air was enough to coddle him up just the tiniest bit, and it looked almost as if he was raising his head to peek at the stranger in front of him.

Taking the small flame into his hands carefully, Igneel lifted it up to his face, inspecting it seriously. Then he took a deep breath – and breathed fire back into Natsu.

They both watched as the flame greedily accepted the offering, growing and growing until Igneel dropped his hands and stepped back. The fire flared up (a rather uncharacteristic sound mixed in with the crackling, very close to elated laughter) before it died down and, once more, a young man born of flame stood before Lucy.

"Hey," he grinned, and then his face fell as he watched her clasp a hand over her mouth, a violent sob shaking her. She flung herself at him before he could react, crying happy tears against his shoulder. He held her until she calmed down enough to pull back.

It was only after he'd wiped away her tears and gave he a warm smile that his attention snapped back to the man who had saved him.

They stared at each other, silent but curious, and when neither spoke Lucy felt compelled to rise up to the task.

"Natsu, this is Igneel," she introduced at last, and with a happy smile. It lit up her face and dried the remnants of her tears.

"You're… the dragon Lucy told me about!" Natsu all but gasped, eyes wide as he gaped at him. The longer he stared, the more something seemed to upset him. He pursed his lips. "You're so small."

Igneel broke into roaring laughter.

He lifted a clawed hand to wipe away his tears. "The pleasure is all mine."

Then he turned serious again, fixing Natsu under his stare in a way that made the boy stand up straight. "Now, what are you two doing out here? You're a reckless boy, aren't you; a young flame wandering into the dark woods. You must have a good reason."

"We're fighting the darkness!" Natsu declared proudly, "And we're going to win!"

"Quite rich coming from someone who was on the brink of death seconds ago," Igneel muttered, "You're fire, but you're not especially bright, are you?"

The side blow was lost on Natsu, who pouted at him in confusion.

"But you're a dragon. How can we lose with a dragon?" he simply asked, then answered his own question with the same breath, "We can't! And I _am_ bright!"

Feeling the need to demonstrate this fact, Natsu puffed his cheeks and set his whole body ablaze. Waving his hands, he pointed at himself proudly. Igneel did not bat an eyelash, turned around without another word – and grinned. Then, he nodded, more to himself than the two wanderers, before turning back to Lucy.

"So, where are we going next?" Igneel asked, looking around, "Don't wanna stay in one place too long, do we."

"You'll… come with us?" Lucy asked, not trying to hide her shock, "You'll _help_ us?"

"What kind of person would I be if I did not help the guardian of this forest – and my _friend_?" he asked with a fond nod at her, "I could no longer call myself a dragon king!"

New tears welled up in Lucy's eyes; happy, grateful tears that she was not ashamed of.

"You're not alone, young guardian," Igneel said, his old, wise eyes twinkling kindly, "It may be your calling to protect the forest – and you're doing it splendidly – but you are not fighting alone. Don't think you have to."

Lucy sniffed, smiling at him gratefully.

"Just look at this fine young man right here," he added a lot more loudly, voice booming as he slapped Natsu on the back, "He's a fun guy! Look after him for me, will ya!"

Natsu spluttered, the force of the dragon's well-meant gesture driving the air out of his lungs.

Nodding vigorously, Lucy caught Natsu as he crashed into her. (The direction Igneel had pushed him had been intentional, she was certain.) Immediately, Natsu hid behind her back, glaring at his saviour.

"Lucy, he's crazy!" he whispered, making sure his voice was loud enough for Igneel to hear. Then he blinked, straightening up as a thought seemed to occur to him. "…I want to fight him."

"He saved your life," Lucy chided," Do you really think–"

"Whenever you're ready, boy!" Igneel roared with laughter, slapping his thigh as angry flames erupted in Natsu's hair. Wiping away tears of laughter at last, he calmed down (just as Natsu, who was being soothed by Lucy). "But for now, don't you think we should do something about this annoying darkness around here?"

They both looked at him hopefully. "Can you…?"

"Me?" Igneel chuckled, "Oh, no. I can't do it. Not alone, anyways. Good thing I ran into you, then, is it not?"

He grinned widely. What a ridiculously optimistic guy he was, Lucy thought to herself. Weirdly enough, the feeling was contagious. Just as Natsu, Igneel seemed to be scared of little and excited by all. She'd been right – they'd get along wonderfully.

…and might burn down the forest in the process.

The corners of her mouth quirked upwards, and she was smiling brightly at the man before she knew it. Natsu too was beaming, but at her.

"Awesome! We can make a team, right Lucy?"

"If my guess is correct," Igneel intersected, "You were looking for the spirit king's gate?"

Lucy nodded to both their questions, first smiling at Natsu and then hanging her head.

"We were, yes… but I lost my way. I don't know where we are anymore, and I can't feel anything here. It's too dark… the forest isn't responding, and it all seems so unfamiliar."

She sighed, feeling lost all over again.

"Well, that can be helped," Igneel told her, and a large grin spread over Natsu's face as the two looked at each other. "I don't know the exact location of the gate, only you do, but I can bring you to the right part of the forest, and I'll be damned if we can't light it up for you. Right, Natsu?"

"Right!" the younger man called, stepping forward to take both her hands into his.

His face was only inches from hers when he stopped, his voice as gentle as his smile.

It was curious, how he could go from a raging widfire to a soft, comforting flame.

"Thankyou, Lucy," he smiled, and then slowly leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closing. Her cheeks dusted a faint pink, but even though she was aware of Igneel's presence and his eyes on them, she leaned into Natsu, relaxing and revelling in his presence.

She'd been so close to losing him. It seemed almost ridiculous now, with him standing close, so tall and strong and so very much alive. It seemed impossible that someone like Natsu could ever be snuffed out. And now, she thought with a smile, he wouldn't.

Not ever.

"We'll protect the future, Lucy," Natsu spoke then, brushing his nose against hers before pulling away, "Together."

"Yes," Lucy agreed with a teary-eyed, bright grin, never having felt more hopeful and confident of their victory. Natsu did that to people.

"You protected me so many times," he said, "Now, let me protect _you_."

Oh, if only he knew that he had done more already than she could ever pay back.

In the span of three days, he had turned her life around. And she wanted it to continue for so many more.

She'd make sure to tell him, once all this was over.

If he wanted to, he could stay forever.


	6. Chapter 6

**THIS IS THE LAST PART OF THIS FICLET!**  
I don't know whether to be sad or happy. :'D I loved writing this! And I loved sharing it with you :3 Thankyou all so much for your enthusiasm and love.

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!**

* * *

Before the newly formed little group continued on their journey, however, Igneel stopped Natsu by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait a moment, my boy," he told him, moving to rummage through the large bag at his side. He pulled out numerous things (and Lucy got a feeling this bag held way more than should have been physically possible) before he found his desired object. He pulled out a long, gray scarf that was frayed on both sides, as if it had been well worn.

The scale pattern resembled that of his own body.

"Take this," he said as he held it out to Natsu, "And guard it well."

Natsu accepted it curiously. "Is this for protection aswell?" he asked.

Igneel raised his brows in question, and Natsu clarified, "Like the cloak." as he pointed at himself. The dragon grinned, showing off sharp canines.

"Yes. It will protect you," he chuckled.

He watched as Natsu fumbled with the material a little, placing it around his neck and comparing it to the cloak.

"It's magical, you see. It will sustain your energy with my own, so that you can never be snuffed out – no matter how dark it gets," he said with a grin that made happy wrinkles appear around his eyes. "You have my flames with you always now, my boy."

For once, Natsu was speechless.

Then, slowly, a blinding smile spread across his face, and he launched himself into Igneel's arms.

The dragon was taken by surprise, but welcomed the affection gladly, offering a bear hug and head rub in return.

"Lucy, I _really_ like this guy," he laughed, "Bring him around one of these days, and I might teach him some magic tricks."

He spoke with so much confidence, as if the only outcome of their mission could only be one of success, and Lucy found herself believing once more. Picturing a happy future, one where she had friends again, and maybe even a little family of her own – a cat, a flame and a dragon, who would have ever guessed – filled her with enough determination to face an entire forest of nightmares.

All these stories she so admired, all the danger, passion and adventure; she could create her own.

It was infinitely more terrifying than she had ever dreamed – and infinitely more thrilling.

All stories, when lived, begged to be retold. And Lucy understood it now, this desire, experienced it first-hand.

She would make sure to live to tell the tale.

Happy, demanding attention, loudly meowed at Natsu, who promptly picked him up.

"Woah, Lucy," the boy suddenly cried out, "He has wings!"

Both Lucy and Igneel leaned in curiously, and indeed: two tiny wings had sprouted on Happy's back, right between his shoulderblades. They flapped a little, and the cat looked almost proud as it lifted up into the air just the tiniest bit before dropping back down. He yawned from the effort, snuggling into Natsu's new scarf. They all laughed, and Natsu contently petted his friend's head.

"Let's put an end to this," Lucy said with newfound confidence. With a flying cat, a dragon and a flame spirit by your side, the darkness was a lot less terrifying. It could be as menacing as it wanted, growling from the shadows, but it would not reach them anymore.

And it was time that it left for good.

They'd been journeying through the forest for quite a while when Lucy suddenly halted.

"Oh!" she exclaimed excitedly, "I know where we are! It's not far now!"

The promise of their goal being within reach filled their tired bodies with new energy.

The longer they tread, the lighter the forest seemed to be getting: it was a little odd, because they were only venturing deeper and had not been expecting the darkness to fade.

The heavy blanket of sadness that had been weighing down on them seemed to weaken with every step, and even the occasional, hesitant bird song could be heard up in the treetops.

But the faint glow between the branches was not sunlight.

There was a strong magical aura lingering over this place. And it only grew stronger the closer they came to the gate.

Natsu gaped at his surroundings. "So this is the forest without the darkness…" he mumbled, mouth wide open as he admired a flower that defiantly raised its head. "Now I'm even more fired up!"

A part of Lucy was aching for him, thinking how he had never even seen the beauty of what was now his home, how he had been born as an untamed fire that brought a little light into a deep pit of darkness. But a much bigger part was infinitely excited for him to see, to show him just what this forest could be.

They were so entranced with the newfound magic that they almost missed their destination, almost walked past the tree that held what they had been fighting so hard to reach. Maybe it was because it was not as large and impressive as one might have thought: it did not shine brighter than the stars, nor did it attract much attention. In fact, it was so concealed by foliage and overgrowth that you had to know what you were searching for, and where to look, to find it at all.

Oh but when you found it, when you _looked_ , it was a thing of beauty.

It was carved into the thick bark of the massive tree, winding along its sides and travelling upwards, the lines not mere embellishment but part of a structure that held up the tree itself. There was no telling where the gate ended or the tree began; they were one and the same. Half-hidden behind a group of younger trees, it was beautiful and compelling – and so, so old.

It was peaceful here; the darkness had not yet found a way in.

"Does the spirit king live here?" Natsu asked, knocking on wood. Surprisingly enough, nothing happened. "Oi, spirit king!"

"Natsu," Lucy laughed, "That's not how it works. He doesn't exactly… live here."

"He doesn't?" Natsu asked, pouting.

"This gate connects our world to the one us spirits originated from. This is where the spirit king lives, and he can only be summoned by few." She took a deep breath. "And I am one of those."

"So, guardian of the forest," Igneel declared solemnly, "How is it done?"

"With a key," she told them, proceeding to take off her overcoat. Her tail, now no longer weighed down by her heavy robe, swayed softly and curled at her side. She stepped closer to the gate, resting her right hand flat against it and closing her eyes. A glow engulfed it and spread along the treetrunk, filling the carvings like liquid gold.

"What key?" Natsu whispered devoutly to Igneel, who shrugged and pointed at Lucy.

Her tail flicked, rising to stroke against the tree. It found what it was searching for at the height of her stomach: a small hole in the bark.

She pushed against it – and then turned.

A loud creaking travelled up the tree.

They understood now: it was a magical key, residing in Lucy's tail.

The golden glow became brighter and brighter, until they had to avert their eyes from its force. The gate was opening, transforming the whole tree as if it were modelling clay.

A faint sound rang through the woods, like the soft chime of bells, but it might just have been the wind. It that had picked up considerably. It blew harshly against them, coming from the gate itself (from another world, you could _feel_ it), tousling their hair and rustling the crowns of the trees.

When it died down and the blinding light faded, the tree looked exactly like before, as if nothing had happened at all. However, the tall man clad in armour who stood in front of it now was living proof to contradict any doubts.

One look was enough to see he was anything but human. If his size had not been enough to tell (he loomed over them, almost as large as the old tree), then the golden glow that covered him like fairy dust, and his peculiarly shaped eyes would have done the trick.

They were deep as an entire ocean, and the knowledge they held would have been too much for a human to comprehend. Too much for anyone to know.

It was a burden, and a blessing.

"Old friend," he smiled, reaching out a hummongous hand to fondly tap his index finger against Lucy's head.

The girl obviously was overwhelmed – and a tad bit terrified – but managed a shy smile.

"I'm sorry, but we have never met, your… majesty," she spoke carefully, "Perhaps you are confusing me with my late mother."

"You don't know me, Lucy," he said with a booming voice, "But I certainly know you. I recognize your spirit. A fine forest guardian, like your mother before you. Time moves differently for us over there, you see. You're all… linear here. It's confusing."

The three friends certainly considered _themselves_ to be the confused ones, but questioned no further. He was a king, after all.

And yet, manners had always been a mystery to Natsu.

"Hey old man," he called upwards, "Do you know why we're here?"

Always Natsu, cutting right to the chase.

The king laughed, and the sound made the ground shake and the trees tremble. "I certainly do. You're here to ask me a favour. And I am more than willing to comply. This is my forest, too, after all."

Lucy bowed her head, her voice pained. "I'm sorry for not being able to protect it for you," she said quietly, "I could never have dne it on my own."

"Whatever are you talking about?" the spirit king asked gently, "Who said you'd have to do it alone? Look at you, summoning a king! You protected your home in all the ways possible – and above all, with love."

Feeling an arm around her shoulder, Lucy looked back up to find Natsu smiling at her. She smiled back warmly, wiping away the inklings of tears beneath her eyes.

"Thankyou," she told them with a voice that was just the tiniest bit shaky, but filled with happiness all the more, "All of you, thankyou so much."

"Hogwash!" Igneel interrupted with a grin, "Nothing to thank us for! Now, let's save the happy tears for when we win!"

Nodding, Lucy beamed back at him, leaning into Natsu's side.

They huddled together once more, firmly gripping each other's hands. Even the spirit king, large as he was, got down on his knees and joined their circle.

Holding hands was for the big _and_ small, and all the sizes in between, after all.

"My friends," he said, "Let us lend each other strength one more time."

They all poured their hearts and emotions into their magic, letting it spill over to lend all their power to the king at their side.

There was a lot to give, and even more to welcome their energy, and merge it into one large beacon of hope and love. The magic of the forest, of all the living and breathing things residing in it, came together in one might uproar; a declaration to protect what was theirs, to help their friends with all their might.

The sirit king started growing at an amazing speed, and yet the movement was tranquil at the same time. As he expanded before them, he be came pure light, growing and growing until he enveloped the whole forest. It was an amazing sight; the woods ablaze with light and colour.

The darkness was quite literally ripped out, and no amount of clinging or gripping or screeching could stop it from being purged. And so it ran, fleeing the light, until it reached the edge of the forest. What happened to it then, no one can tell.

And then, slowly, the spirit king's magic dispersed. The light he left behind shone brightly.

The four left behind stared at the sky in awe, watching as the natural light was let back into the forest that was their home, watched it spill between the treesand rush along the ground like wildwater. The woods were breathing a sigh of relief as a heavy weight was up-rooted and blew away with the fresh, warm wind.

Natsu laughed, then, and the others joined right in, smiling so hard it hurt.

They had a lot to smile about now, a lot of happiness to give.

Natsu went on to live with Lucy and Happy in their little home. Together, they looked after the forest, caring for its inhabitants with unconditional love and a fierce will to protect. Igneel often visited them, dropping by after long travels into distant lands (that left him with the most peculiar souvenirs, and the one or other new scar full of stories), when he needed the calm and comfort of a good home and the warm affection of a happy family.

A little kindness could go a long way, and in these wild woods it had travelled so much further.

Lucy's home was filled with happiness and laughter yet again, the light at last bringing back everything that had been taken, albeit in a different form. Love worked like that, sometimes.

And it was in front of this very home where they parted ways with Igneel after their adventure.

They smiled brightly at each other, moving in for a large, heart-felt hug.

Together, the five of them had driven the darkness out of the forest.

There was no telling where it was now, or if it would attempt to return one day. But it did not matter, because if it did, someone would always be there to stop it. Even the smallest flame could shed light into the darkness. The smallest things could make a difference.

Sometimes, even a smile was enough.


End file.
